


Planet Shakespeare: Oberon's Gambit

by GeoKas



Category: As You Like It - Shakespeare, Henry VI Part 1 - Shakespeare, Macbeth - Shakespeare, Midsummer Night's Dream - Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing - Shakespeare, Othello - Shakespeare
Genre: Comedy, Dark Comedy, F/M, Other, References to Shakespeare, Spells & Enchantments, Supernatural Elements, Tragedy, Tragedy/Comedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-05
Updated: 2015-12-08
Packaged: 2018-05-04 12:48:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 5,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5334659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeoKas/pseuds/GeoKas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ripped from the pages of A Midsummer's Night Dream!</p><p>After enchanting Titania to fall in love with Nick Bottom and forget the changeling Indian boy (Baalak), Oberon sends the likewise enchanted shape-shifter on a quest through parts of Planet Shakespeare (Shakespeare's other plays; including, As You Like It, Much Ado About Nothing & I Henry VI, respectively) to gather various objects (macguffins). His final task is to deliver the items to the Weyard Sisters (from Macbeth) to brew into a potion for use against Oberon's oblivious rival, whom threatens the peace and tranquility of the Fairy Kingdom and Planet Shakespeare entire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue. A Forest outside of Athens.

_TITANIA sleeps_

_Enter OBERON and squeezes the flower on TITANIA's eyelids_

**OBERON**

What thou seest when thou dost wake,  
Do it for thy true-love take,  
Love and languish for his sake:  
Be it ounce, or cat, or bear,  
Pard, or boar with bristled hair,  
In thy eye that shall appear  
When thou wakest, it is thy dear:

Wake when some vile thing is near.

_EXUENT OBERON_


	2. Scene I. Another part of the Forrest.

_THE CHANGELING INDIAN BOY, **BAALAK** , sleeping in the form of a lamb in a clearing _

_ENTER OBERON and he quietly squeezes the juice of the flower on BAALAK’s eyelids_

 

**OBERON**

Now, couch no more, let stardust depart these gentle young eyes,

Find thyself taken by mine visage,

Revenge upon the one hast painted all mine lush emerald kingdom crimson,

Transform thyself into mine hand and knap until the last.

Awaken, Baalak!

 

_Awakens BAALAK and looks up at OBERON_

 

**BAALAK**

Lord Oberon,

I am lapsed by thy—

 

**OBERON**

Hush, gentle issue,

Dost thou fancy great Oberon above all else?

 

**BAALAK**

Verily, I note I can perpend of aught else,

Seducing thy favor is more vital than drawing breath in mine lungs,

I art shamed for not telling t before.

 

**OBERON**

And fair Titania?

What thinks thou of mine lady?

 

**BAALAK**

Titania?

Methought her akin to mine own mother but alas she art but a stem with no flower,

Lacking virtue at which hour held up to thine own divinity pales in comparison,

I hath been inherited by a harpy,

A vile simular she art which seeks to infect mine heart against thee,

Thy favor and praise art what mine heart doth crave,

How might I serve thee, judicious Oberon?

 

**OBERON**

Thou are a quaint issue and judicious Oberon intends to stoke the kindling of manhood in thee,

Thy’s talents art sought to front a great misdeed in mine kingdom,

Art thou above the dare?

 

**BAALAK**

Aye, mine Lord,

I woulst kicketh the bucket to quicken rapture in thee,

Tell more of the employment thee hast and t wilt beest undergone!

 

**OBERON**

Thou oath is taken and wilt be checked,

Against an unpregnant soldier who hath acted with impunity,

Five offices required to obtain four items to maketh one,

The one is’t key to the future security of all on Shakespeare,

Mine rival hast swiped his sword, wall-eyed, across mine kingdom and painted t crimson,

I wilt t see his life removed by that same sword in his own putrid hand.

 

**BAALAK**

Aye, Lord.

Tell whither these items forswear so that I might make t done.

 

**OBERON**

The root system of this enchanted forest is Hecate’s crossroads to all of Shakespeare.

All times and places art connected through t.

Squeeze the juice of the flowers in this satchel on the knot of a sturdy tree,

And an entryway wilt ope to deliver thee at which hour and whither thee need to wend,

Observe the order to their use, first the purple Pansy, second the white Lily,

Third the red and golden-white Asteraceae,

Save the yellow Orchid for the last,

And t will take thee to mine….associates’…domain whither they will brew the items into one.

Once met they wilt summon an invisible doorway to deliver thee to the final locale.

Tarry not in each task and use thy abilities to mask thy true form,

For if those savage gents suspects thee aren’t of that lodging,

Thee wouldst forfeit all has’t been invested.

_OBERON removes a purple Pansy and hands BAALAK the satchel with the other flowers inside._

 

**BAALAK**

Aye, tell, mine lord,

How I might recognize the items sought?

 

**OBERON**

Oberon will enchant thine eyes so the objects are encircled by sun-light.

 

_OBERON waves his hand over BAALAK’s face._

 

**OBERON**

One final direction to heed.

Thou shouldst provide an offering to Hecate,

A devout hedonist and the mother of witches,

If you should chance upon her know she favors Oberon’s form,

And wouldst be wise to use t in her company.

 

_OBERON guides BAALAK by the shoulders over to a tree and squeezes the juice of the purple Pansy over a knot in its thick trunk. The roots tremble and begin to spread open revealing a passageway into the Earth **.**_

 

**OBERON**

Now, armed with all that thee need’st to know,

Fare ye well and off thee go!

 

_With a light kick from Oberon’s foot EXUENT BAALAK._


	3. SCENE II. The Woods of Arden

_BAALAK tumbles out of the root system portal and into a mud puddle._

_As he rushes into the bushes, Enter ROSALIND and CELIA._

**CELIA**  
How now, coz, I s‘pect the gents in yonder clearing doth begin to practice good observance of us.

 **ROSALIND**  
Truth never so told! Fie! I secretly wish for them to see through our play,  
But alas, none of them woulst dare risk the challenge and beest titled zany.

_ROSALIND drops her boar-spear, unhitches the sheath holding her curtle-axe, removes her Ganymede costume and changes into her proper womanly attire. The spearhead of the spear glows with a yellow halo of light._

**BAALAK**  
_[aside]_  
Hark! Could t beest that the boar-spear’s tip tis the first object?  
It doth begin to glow as if t were the sun of the early morn,  
But what significance could such an odd trinket hold for mine master’s plot?

 **ROSALIND**  
Come coz, let us pall this jolly folly.

_EXUENT ROSALIND and CELIA_

_BAALAK creeps over to the discarded clothing and picks up the glowing arrowhead and places it into the satchel. He pulls out the white Lilly and squeezes its juice onto a knot in a nearby tree which opens another root portal EXUENT BAALAK through it._


	4. Scene III. LEONATO'S house in Messina.

_****Inside the window and inside a room in LEONATO’S HOUSE.**** _

_Leonato, Don Pedro, Antonio, Friar Francis, Claudio, Hero, Benedick, Beatrice, Ursula and Margaret are all gathered and reveling in the mirth of the much ado about nothing that ensued previously._

**CLAUDIO**

And I'll be sworn upon't that he loves her;

For here's a paper written in his hand,

A halting sonnet of his own pure brain,

Fashion'd to Beatrice.

 

**HERO**

And here's another

Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket,

Containing her affection unto Benedick.

 

_**Outside the room in LEONATO’s GARDEN.** _

_Baalak peeks into the window still unnoticed by the household._

**BAALAK**

_**[Aside]** _

Lo! The pages doth glow as the spearhead before!

 

_**Observed through the window of a room in LEONATO’S house from the garden.** _

_Leonato, Don Pedro, Antonio, Friar Francis, Claudio, Hero, Benedick, Beatrice, Ursula and Margaret still gathered inside._

 

**BENEDICK**

A miracle! here's our own hands against our hearts.

Come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take

thee for pity.

 

**BEATRICE**

I would not deny you; but, by this good day, I yield

upon great persuasion; and partly to save your life,

for I was told you were in a consumption.

 

**BENEDICK**

Peace! I will stop your mouth.

 

_Kissing her._

_Baalak leans against the wall to the side of the house next to the window._

 

**BAALAK**

I must take on the role of one who dwells within to attain those pages, but whom?

 

 _HERO's_ _calico_   _cat, JEWEL, vigorously rubs its head on BAALAK’s ankle while letting out short meows._

 

**_Later, in Hero and Claudio’s bedchamber inside LEONATO’s house._ **

_CLAUDIO and HERO are entwined naked in each other’s arms in their wedding bed._

_Enter BAALAK in the form of _JEWEL_ pushing the door open with his cat-head. _ _BAALAK’s cat-eyes scan the room for the letters and see a glow emanating from the clothing strewn upon the floor. He digs them out with tooth and claw and begins to carry them away in his mouth._

_HERO sits up in a panic, waking CLAUDIO_

**CLAUDIO**

Was t a nightmare, lambkin?

 

**HERO**

I fear t was, chuck.

 

_Hero looks at the floor and sees JEWEL creeping to the doorway with the pages in her mouth._

 

**HERO**

Hark! JEWEL hast our friend’s love letters and seeks to abscond with them!

 

 _CLAUDIO jumps out of bed and attempts to bar_ _the felines escape through the doorway._

 __BAALAK looks around the room and seeing an open window__ _turns and darts out into the night air with the letters in his cat-mouth._

 _HERO screams and the naked newlyweds rush over to the second story window and see the cat transform into a Indian Spotted Eagle_ _and glide off towards the woods of Messina._

_CLAUDIO and HERO look at each other in shock, but then laugh at the preposterous scene and kissing passionately return to their bed and re-entwine in each other’s arms._

_**The woods of Messina near Leonato’s house.** _

_BAALAK, in the form of the large bird,_ _transforms_ _back into human form (n_ _aked)_ _as he l_ _ands in a clearing_ _. H_ _e pulls out his modest tunic_ _and gets dressed. He_ _places the letters into the satchel and removes the red and golden-white Asteraceae (a composite Sunflower) and squeezes the juice onto_ _a knot of a tree which opens the third root-portal._

_EXEUNT BAALAK through it._

 


	5. Scene IV. London. The Temple-garden.

_Present are the Earls of SOMERSET and WARWICK; RICHARD PLANTAGENET, VERNON, and a LAWYER engaged in a serious debate._

 

**SOMERSET**

Have with thee, Pole. Farewell, ambitious Richard.

 

_EXUENT SOMERSET_

 

**RICHARD PLANTAGENET**

 

How I am braved and must perforce endure it!

 

**WARWICK**

This blot that they object against your house

Shall be wiped out in the next parliament

Call'd for the truce of Winchester and Gloucester;

And if thou be not then created York,

I will not live to be accounted Warwick.

Meantime, in signal of my love to thee,

Against proud Somerset and William Pole,

Will I upon thy party wear this rose:

And here I prophesy: this brawl to-day,

Grown to this faction in the Temple-garden,

Shall send between the red rose and the white

A thousand souls to death and deadly night.

 

**RICHARD PLANTAGENET**

Good Master Vernon, I am bound to you,

That you on my behalf would pluck a flower.

 

**VERNON**

In your behalf still will I wear the same.

Lawyer

And so will I.

 

**RICHARD PLANTAGENET**

Thanks, gentle sir.

Come, let us four to dinner: I dare say

This quarrel will drink blood another day.

 

_EXUENT Earl of WARWICK; RICHARD PLANTAGENET, VERNON, and the LAWYER._

_A root-portal opens in the base of a large tree centered in the temple-garden and spits BAALAK out of it. The lovely Indian boy meets the landing with a perfect somersault. He looks around the garden and sees all the white and red roses around him glowing with a halo of yellow sun-light leaving him perplexed._

 

**BAALAK**

What madness is this? The entire garden glows!

How could I possibly gather all into this modest satchel?

 

_BAALAK walks over to a rose bush and touches one of the white roses, pricking his finger on a thorn._

**BAALAK**

Curses!

 

_A drop of blood falls onto a white rose and all the other white roses lose their yellow glow except that one._

 

**BAALAK**

Tut! This garden seeks a blood sacrifice!

 

_BAALAK plucks the single glowing white rose and squeezes another drop of blood onto one of the glowing red roses causing all the other red roses to lose their glow. He plucks it and then places the two roses into his satchel. He pulls out the yellow orchid._

_ENTER a somewhat young and well-built GARDENER_ _discovers BAALAK_ _._

**GARDENER**

Who beest thee, boy? Stealing from the King’s garden!

I’ll set ye head on a pike, I will!

**BAALAK**

Nay, sirrah, see only thy own visage before thee.

 

_BAALAK takes the form of the GARDENER and they circle each other like angry wrestlers about to lunge at each other._

****

**GARDENER**

Goodyear! Thou canst daw mine eyes with mine own visage.

Digress from thy larceny and face the King’s justice as a gallant and not as a hangman!

 

**BAALAK**

[aside]

This handsome mortal is not easily tarried from his office.

 

_BAALAK takes the form of Oberon and kneels at the base of the large tree in the center of the garden, squeezing the juice onto its knot opening a root-portal._

 

**BAALAK**

Aye, as a man I will face thee, but not in this garden,

I wilt be away in the blink of an eye!

Catcheth me if thee canst!

 

_He jumps into the portal and the angry GARDENER runs over and dives to grab Baalak’s ankle. He misses and is swallowed by the root-portal as it closes behind him._

_The GARDENER screams as he is trounced against the woody path of the portal. BAALAK_ _, still as OBERON,_ _slides along the smooth woody portal ahead of the handsome mortal._

**BAALAK**

HE-CAAAA-TEEEEE!

_The root-portal’s end reveals the side of a rocky, emerald-colored hillside as BAALAK and the GARDENER slide toward it._


	6. Scene V. Country near Dunsinane.

_Enter BAALAK, as OBERON, followed by the GARDENER through the root-portal._

_The_ _GARDENER is disorientated by the jarring journey through the portal but BAALAK is quick to his feet and faces the confused man who kneels on all fours before him._

_Enter MACBETH from the opening of the weyard witches’ cavern, he stops in his tracks at the devilish sight of the horned OBERON standing over the shell-shocked Englishman._

**MACBETH**

Stand fast, devil! Thou shalt not have this man’s soul this day!

_MACBETH draws his kingly sword._

**BAALAK**

Foolish mortal. Be gone or find a wretched fate at mine hands.

**MACBETH**

I shall not yield this gent's soul to thee, angel lord! Come, if ye have the metal enough for the coil!

 

**BAALAK**

Away you three-inch fool! Or I shall roast thy soul over a hellfirespit.

 

_BAALAK transforms his lower half into a bonfire and MACBETH is dumbstruck with terror. MACBETH looks_ _apologetically_ _to the GARDENER, who is getting to his feet, and sheaths his sword._

 

**MACBETH**

Were I sure that you were born of woman I’d swipe my sword at thee, Devil! But alas, more ravin portents occupy me this day!

 

_Keeping his hand on the massive hilt of his sword MACBETH slowly backs away, turns and EXUENTS with haste._

_A crevice in the ground opens up and ENTER HECATE lifted upwards by tentacle-like roots._

**HECATE**

Who dared accite Hecate?

 

_HECATE glares at the two men and blushes at the sight of Oberon._

**HECATE**

Oberon? Why hast thou dressed so…plebeian and come thyself? I thought your changeling were to be thy courier.

 

**BAALAK**

Aye, the changeling art I.

 

_BAALAK transforms back into his original form and motions to the GARDENER._

 

**BAALAK**

I bring this offering for thy pleasure, Goddess.

 

_Hecate looks at the GARDENER with a wicked smile and then back to BAALAK._

**GARDENER**

Hold one moment-

 

_HECATE raises her hand and the GARDENER becomes silent._

 

**HECATE**

Know me so well, little one, to arrive with this offering?

Enter thither cavern of the weyard, and complete Oberons’ bidding, cunning knave.

 

_BAALAK gayly hops over to the cavern entrance and ENTERS it._

 

_HECATE glides over to the speechless GARDENER and strokes his left cheek, enchanting him further with her seductive pheromones._

 

**HECATE**

Tell me thy name, mortal.

 

**GARDENER**

Tobias, m’lady, Tobias Haye.

 

**HECATE**

I admire thy frame and symmetry, Tobias. Thou art unbound to a woman?

 

**GARDENER**

Aye, I am bound only to his majesty, the King of England, Lord of Ireland, Henry the—

 

_HECATE_ _places her soft fingertip over his lips and silences_ _him._

**HECATE**

Excellent. Come then, mortal. Thou shall beest mine.

 

_HECATE takes his rough hand into hers._

 

**GARDENER**

I art taken by thee, Ladybird.

 

_The ground quakes beneath the beautious couple and parts to reveal several root-tentacles that grab and swallow them down into the bowels of Hecate's domain_

_EXUENT the GARDENER and HECATE_


	7. SCENE VI. A cavern. In the middle, a boiling cauldron.

_Thunder. The three weyard sisters, HECATE’s daughter-witches, stand around their boiling cauldron._

**ALL**

Double, double toil and trouble;

Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.

_Enter BAALAK_

 

**First Witch**

Speak.

 

**Second Witch**

Demand.

 

**Third Witch**

We'll answer.

 

**BAALAK**

I, BAALAK, come at the behest of Lord Oberon of the Fairy Kingdom.

 

**First Witch**

Ah! The Changeling knave we were promised to receive! Come, come…

 

**Second Witch**

Doth t have the items required for the potion?

 

**BAALAK**

Aye, in this satchel ye will find them.

 

**Third Witch**

Give t here child!

 

_BAALAK gives the THIRD WITCH the satchel and the three of them look inside with giddiness while they mumble words between themselves._

**Third Witch**

Oh yes, yes! This will do nicely. The knave has done well for his master.

 

_The THIRD WITCH removes the items from the satchel and places them on an altar nearby the cauldron. The SECOND WITCH takes the satchel from the THIRD WITCH and hobbles over to BAALAK and hands it back to him, circling him as she speaks._

**Second Witch**

See the enchantment in its eyes, sisters? Perhaps we should steal t for ourselves.

 

**First Witch**

Hush, sister. Does the knave know the price for our brewing?

 

**BAALAK**

Whatever the price I am steadfast to pay t!

Tell, strange hags.

 

_The three witches cackle loudly at his hubris as thunder echoes from outside the cavern._

 

**Third Witch**

Very well then, child. We three desire a most precious trinket belonging to the Gorgon of Fife.

**First Witch**

Survive this trial and our potion will be thine.

 

**Second Witch**

Surely a simple task for one that is so resolute to complete thy master’s command!

 

**BAALAK**

For Oberon I wouldst undertake any employment. Tell me of this Gorgon and the trinket of which ye seek and t will be done.

 

**Third Witch**

Ledusa lives in the ruins of St Andrews’ Castle o'vr in Fife. A right old hag is she, twisted by ancient addictions and a rage ‘wards this intpinse trigon.

 

**Second Witch**

Surely it doesn’t want to know the history ere just tell of the object, sister.

 

**First Witch**

Aye, let it be done.

 

**Third Witch**

Aye, aye... We employ thee with the retrieval of a minimus hand-mirror. Its power can reveal to the wielder hidden truths.

 

**First Witch**

Thee will find the trinket in the central-most area of the castle and she will guard it with fierce abandon.

 

**Second Witch**

Once hast t sayeth out loud “O'ER-CROW” and the mists will carry ye back.

 

**BAALAK**

Noted, hags. So t bedone.

 

**Third Witch**

Beware, child, do not look into Ledusa’s midnight eyes or else stone thee wilt be!

 

**First Witch**

Doth not fail us, for t means failing thou master as well!

 

_The witches toss seemingly random ingredients into the cauldron and begin to chant._

 

**ALL**

Wing of bat, rabbit dung,

Cauldron mists come undone,

Cover quick and like a grave,

Deliver this mortal to trinket save!

 

_The mists of the cauldron swirl and fill the cavern as the witches cackle manically. BAALAK is lifted off the ground and out of the cavern and towards Fife._

_EXUENT BAALAK_

 

**Second Witch**

I don’t bethink that peat is coming back...

_More insidious laughter from the sisters as thunder rolls outside the cavern._


	8. Scene VII. The Remains of St. Andrews Castle, Fife

_BAALAK is carried by the mists and gently lowered down into the courtyard of the castle. He finds his bearings and quickly spots the hand-mirror sitting, unattended, on a broken wooden bench not far from a boiling cauldron on a small bonfire._

**BAALAK**

O summer’s day! Hither is the object easily retrieved!

 

_BAALAK picks up the hand-mirror and opens his mouth to speak the words to deliver him back to the weyard sisters._

 

**BAALAK**

O'ER—

 

 _He is given pause by a terrible shrieking which seems to come from all around him. Thunder rings out as lightning crashes in the skies which turn_ _instantly_ _dark above the castle's courtyard. A steady hissing from can be heard from above joined by a low rattling noise. Gathering his wits, BAALAK transforms his lower half into a bonfire to illuminate the menacing courtyard._

_ENTER LEDUSA; a towering seven foot tall, slender snake-bodied Gorgon woman with large jet-black opaque eyes and a bakers’ dozen of venomous snakes for hair._

**LEDUSA**

Who dares to enter Ledusa’s domain and take mine most prized possession?

 

_The Gorgon slithers out of the dark and circles around Baalak as her angry forked-tongue lashes in and out of her fanged mouth._

_Keeping his eyes turned downward to avoid eye contact with her, BAALAK speaks._

**BAALAK**

Baalak, son of Oberon, dares angel.

Flee now and thee will be spared.

 

_LEDUSA cackles loudly and smashes her rattlesnake-like tail onto the stone floor, splintering it with a spray of debris in all directions._

**LEDUSA**

Ledusa flees from no mortal; be they warrior man or changeling child!

 

 

**BAALAK**

Thou hast one last chance to flee intact creature,

I wouldst be on mine way back to the cavern of the weyard,

And beest done with this quest to bejewel truest loves' eyes once more.

 

_LEDUSA’s eyes grow wider with an abyss of darkness as she menacingly places her snouted-face in front of BAALAK’s forehead but he does not look up._

**LEDUSA**

The Weyard Sisters of Dunsinane?!

I should have smelt those strumpets’ stench on ye, child.

Fear not, I will aid ye in thine quest if ye will grant me one indulgence.

 

_BAALAK is surprised but intrigued as LEDUSA’s form deflates in stature and her features turn less imposing._

**BAALAK**

Thee wilt not fool me into looking into thy eyes, creature.

 

**LEDUSA**

Nay, nay. Mine intent is not to stone ye, child,

T is mine own turn-coat kin, the weyard sisters,

That I will unhatch from the nest of Hecate.

 

_LEDUSA slithers over to a corner of the ruined courtyard to the bubbling cauldron. She throws a few ingredients into it, chants in some long lost archaic language and the brew flashes with a brief light. She dips a ladle into it and fills a small vial with the brew and then slithers back over to BAALAK._

**LEDUSA**

Spill this potion into the weyard sister’s cauldron and our debt wilt be settled.

 

**BAALAK**

What will t do?

 

_BAALAK’s lower half returns to normal._

 

**LEDUSA**

Far be t from thy heart, the thought thereof, t will not harm ye if ye art quick to flee.

 

**BAALAK**

Care I not for the society of monsters, but if this contract will bring Oberon’s business to a close, I will emboss t.

 

**LEDUSA**

Who the hex is Oberon?

_BAALAK takes a breath to answer but is silenced by LEDUSA's hand._

 

**LEDUSA**

_[sighs]_

Nevermind that— just take this potion, do as I ask and be sure to summon Hecate to witness the calamity for mine own sake.

 

**BAALAK**

Aye, gross hag.

The completion of mine quest shall be ensured before. Nothing shall risk mine task.

_  
BAALAK puts the potion into his satchel and, still avoiding eye contact, looks to the calming skies above. LEDUSA smiles and slithers away disappearing into the darkest corner of the courtyard._

 

**LEDUSA**

 

_[from the shadows]_

Wend in peace, child.

 

**BAALAK**

O'ER-CROW!

 

_Mists thicken around BAALAK and lift him up and out of the courtyard back to the weyard sisters in Dunsinane._

_LEDUSA slithers back out from the darkened corner and over to the cauldron which shows an image of the weyard sisters finalizing the potion and mixing into a small wine jug. _BAALAK_ is seen carried into the cavern by the mists given a wine-jug before entering the invisible doorway to take him to the next locale._

**LEDUSA  
** And so, the worm is turned. Mine sisters will finally pay the price for their treachery and Hecate wilt share their fate, and Ledusa wilt inherit all their power!

 

_LEDUSA cackles with delight that echoes throughout the abandoned halls of St. Andrews Castle._

 


	9. Scene VIII. Venice. The alleyway of a busy street.

_BAALAK emerges from the invisible doorway into an alleyway and looking around sees a pair of soldiers walking together with a yellow sun-like glow around them._

  
**IAGO**

And I tell thee, Roderigo, Othello is like a brother and I wouldst take the broad end of a sword for he.

 

**RODERIGO**

Concurred, nev'r hath there been a more honorable Moor in all of Venice!

Come, let us seek out the next pub and toast his union to Desdemona once more!

 

**IAGO**

Forsooth!

 

_BAALAK stumbles out in front of the two soldiers in the form of a decrepit old man carrying his wine-jug. The startled soldiers place their hands on the hilts of their swords, but then release them at the pitiful sight before them._

**RODERIGO**

Fie, codger! Thou almost lost thy life with that stunt.

 

**BAALAK**

Heh- Apologies my Lords.  

Heh- Mine ears oer’heard thy plans to toast the, heh, matrimony of a cousin,

Heh- I only wished to, heh- offer mine finest wine for the occasion.

 

_IAGO and RODERIGO look at each other with some scrutiny but then shrug it off and nod in acceptance._

 

**IAGO**

Well met and many thanks, fusty sir! Take this payment and peace be with you.

 

_Kind IAGO throws the old man a coin for the wine and he takes a large swig of it as the two comrades continue down the street. BAALAK smiles maliciously as he watches the glowing men pass the tainted wine back and forth, infecting their minds with the weyard sisters’ potion._

_BAALAK EXUENT back through the invisible doorway as the men walk on._

**RODERIGO**

Fie, Othello! Foul Moor that usurps our society and who hast no just claim to anything Venetian!

 

_IAGO smashes the clay wine-jug on the street as he staggers in a drunken rage._

**IAGO**

Fie on me! Quoth I heartfelt and false words passing on his behalf,

To convince Desdemona away into the moonlight,

If only mine cursed words had never married mine breath!

A tidal wave of rage for Othello washes over my mind e’re more.

Push! How I hold him in mine hate, Roderigo,

That gent hast made me the scapegoat in his devilish schemes to steal hence beloved Desdemona's virtue.

 

**RODERIGO**

Tush! never tell me; I take it much unkindly

That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse

As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this.

 

**IAGO**

'Sblood, but you will not hear me:

If ever I did dream of such a matter, Abhor me.

 

**RODERIGO**

Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.

 

**IAGO**

Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,

In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,

Off-capp'd to him: and, by the faith of man,

I know my price, I am worth no worse a place:

But he; as loving his own pride and purposes,

Evades them, with a bombast circumstance

Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;

And, in conclusion,

Nonsuits my mediators; for, 'Certes,' says he,

'I have already chose my officer.'

And what was he?

Forsooth, a great arithmetician,

One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,

A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;

That never set a squadron in the field,

Nor the division of a battle knows

More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,

Wherein the toged consuls can propose

As masterly as he: mere prattle, without practise,

Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election:

And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof

At Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds

Christian and heathen, must be be-lee'd and calm'd

By debitor and creditor: this counter-caster,

He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,

And I--God bless the mark!--his Moorship's ancient.

 

**RODERIGO**

By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.

 

**IAGO**

Why, there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service,

Preferment goes by letter and affection,

And not by old gradation, where each second

Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself,

Whether I in any just term am affined

To love the Moor.

 

**RODERIGO**

I would not follow him then.

 

**IAGO**

O, sir, content you;

I follow him to serve my turn upon him:

We cannot all be masters, nor all masters

Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark

Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave,

That, doting on his own obsequious bondage,

Wears out his time, much like his master's ass,

For nought but provender, and when he's old, cashier'd:

Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are

Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,

Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,

And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,

Do well thrive by them and when they have lined

their coats

Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul;

And such a one do I profess myself. For, sir,

It is as sure as you are Roderigo,

Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago:

In following him, I follow but myself;

Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,

But seeming so, for my peculiar end:

For when my outward action doth demonstrate

The native act and figure of my heart

In compliment extern, 'tis not long after

But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve

For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.

 

**RODERIGO**

What a full fortune does the thicklips owe

If he can carry't thus!

 

**IAGO**

Call up her father,

Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight,

Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,

And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,

Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy,

Yet throw such changes of vexation on't,

As it may lose some colour.

 

**RODERIGO**

Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud.

 

**IAGO**

Do, with like timorous accent and dire yell

As when, by night and negligence, the fire

Is spied in populous cities.

 

**RODERIGO**

What, ho, Brabantio! Signior Brabantio, ho!

 

**IAGO**

Awake! what, ho, Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves!

Look to your house, your daughter and your bags!

Thieves! thieves!

 

_BRABANTIO appears above, at a window_

 

**BRABANTIO**

What is the reason of this terrible summons?   
What is the matter there?

_[continues through the rest of The Tragedy of Othello]_


	10. Scene IX. The cavern of the weyard sisters.

_BAALAK enters the cavern and finds the weyard sisters absent. He removes the vial given to him by LEDUSA f_ _rom the satchel_ _and as he is about to spill the potion into the cauldron ENTER THE THREE WITCHES._

**Second Witch**

It’s returned!

 

**First Witch**

The knave holds something…a vial..?

 

_He transforms himself into OBERON and calls out to HECATE._

 

**BAALAK**

HE-CAAAAA-TEEEE!

 

_BAALAK spills the potion into the cauldron and it begins to bubble and double and spew out a noxious looking smoke._

 

**Third Witch**

We are betrayed! With haste, sisters join me—

 

**ALL**

Double, double, toil and—

_BAALAK turns to flee the cavern but HECATE appears before him and grabs his arm. Sensing the cauldron's brew has become volatile she opens her mouth to rouse the weyard sisters from their trance-like incantation, but before she can it explodes outward. Hecate, the three weyard sisters and BAALAK are instantly killed. HECATE's body_ _completely_ _dissolves on the cavern floor._

_ENTER LEDUSA, at first slithering past the five bodies but then stepping, as she takes on a female human form. She picks up the scorched hand-mirror from the sooty cavern floor, and watches her face change in to HECATE's._

_LEDUSA lets out a diabolical cackle as all of Hecate's and the weyard sisters' power shifts to her._


	11. Epilogue. The Fairy Kingdom.

_[Several days past the last scene of "The Tragedy of Othello".]_

_TITANIA sits_ _blissfully_ _in a vine-hammock rocking a newborn infant with the head of a donkey in her arms _(fairy pregnancies are shorter than normal human ones)_ while joyful fairy attendants surround them. OBERON watches with some disdain from the bow of a tree above her._

_ENTER ROBIN GOODFELLOWwho sneaks up behind OBERON on the tree's bow._

**ROBIN GOODFELLOW**

'tis done mine lige.

The Moor, Othello, hath fallen upon his own sword while in his own hand.

 

**OBERON**

Aye, and an innocent lies lifeless aside the weyard at Dunsinane.

t is a betrayal most harsh for dear Titania.

She hast said not a word to me since.

O me, I only sought to borrow the boy’s talents through this dark plot.  

 

_OBERON places his face into his hands and weeps as the infant hees and haws with delight below._

 

**ROBIN GOODFELLOW**

You did what had to be done, Oberon.

The issue did no differently and acted with selfless determination.

 

**OBERON**

Enchanted as he was by mine own hand! 

 

**ROBING GOODFELLOW**

Think on t as only a dream if that eases thy mind, Lord.

 

**OBERON**

A dream?? The results art a nightmare laid bare.

Aye, mine kingdom remains green and safe by these choices, true Puck,

But the sacrifices and the rewards share the same cold plate before me,

I am a self-made cuckold and father to a bastard with the head of an ass,

Most bitter tenants for this melancholy landlord of foul consequence,

Coequal to a fool art I, 

Look hither at the most wondrous Oberon,

Mine enemy, in death, wins this last battle in our secret war.

_Puck sullenly looks to Oberon unsure of what to say and then shifts his eyes toward Titania while she blissfully rocks the contented newborn. Oberon continues to weep into his hands as the gathering fairies below sing a soothing lullaby._

 

**_[THE END]_ **

 


	12. WORKS CITED

**Sources & Influences used**

 

"A." _Bsolute Shakespeare Glossary._ N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.

 

"Shakespeare Translator." _YourDictionary_. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.

 

Shakespeare, William, Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and Andrew Gurr. _"A Midsummer's Night Dream."_ The Norton Shakespeare. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997. N. 1037-096 Print.

 

Shakespeare, William, Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and Andrew Gurr. _"As You Like It."_ The Norton Shakespeare. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997. N. 1613-684 Print.

 

Shakespeare, William, Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and Andrew Gurr. _"Much Ado About Nothing."_ The Norton Shakespeare. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997. N. 1395-462 Print.

 

Shakespeare, William, Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and Andrew Gurr. _"I Henry VI."_ The Norton Shakespeare. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997. N. 415-90 Print.

 

Shakespeare, William, Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and Andrew Gurr. _"Othello."_ The Norton Shakespeare. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997. N. 2073-158 Print.

 

Shakespeare, William, Stephen Greenblatt, Walter Cohen, Jean E. Howard, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and Andrew Gurr. _"Macbeth."_ The Norton Shakespeare. New York: W.W. Norton, 1997. N. 2709-774 Print.

 

Shamas, Laura Annawyn.  _" We three": the mythology of Shakespeare's weird sisters_. Peter Lang,

 

"Tips to Talk Like Shakespeare." _Talk Like Shakespeare._ N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2015.


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